Guides
Current Guides
Upcoming guides
GenevaLunch, with your help, is developing a series of guides to help English-speakers in the region. These will consist of an introductory text, useful addresses and an editorial review of some of these addresses. In addition, we strongly encourage comments from the community to keep the guides up to date and to offer a reliable, balanced picture.
The guides will also point to existing online guides that maintain good lists, many of which are city-specific.
We are planning some guides already, but we would like your suggestions and help in developing others. Please let us know what you would like to see here! Contributions are very welcome.
Guides in the works:
Sheer fun
popular concerts, clubbing, what's on for fun, who's going where
Nourishing the body
eating out: quick and light, eating out: dining, stocking the cupboard, the perfect mug or cuppa (tea, coffee)
Educating the mind
starting school, changing schools, universities, non-uni training options, internships, out of school but into learning (continuing education)
Enriching the spirit
audience options (theater, cinema, concerts), what the GL region is reading, gardener's tools
Stretching, stretching
sports for fun, sports for fitness, sports for couch potatoes
2006 Lake Geneva region Christmas shopping list
Lake Geneva region Christmas shopping list - your helper is here!
UPDATED 23 DECEMBER 2006 look for NEW! 20/12
Buying Christmas presents is a special challenge if you have family and friends who live outside Switzerland or if you're new to the country or if you have a new family - or for a thousand other reasons, starting with "I can't think of anything to buy."
The GenevaLunch Christmas shopping list is a community effort, designed to make the holiday season a little easier and a lot more fun. Share your idea with the rest of us! If we like it we'll dress it up a bit and put it on the list. There is something for everyone, from kids with small allowances to the lover who knows no limits.
NEW! 23 December - For shoppers in Geneva, two last-minute suggestions: if you have little people with little budgets, one of the stalls in the area running downhill from the train station, in front of McDonalds, sells charming little SFr2 mittens for individual fingers. A little higher on the price scale but perfect for women who love one-of-a-kind artisanal jewelry is Jill Wolf's shop at 39, Grand-rue in the old town. Earrings, necklaces and cell phone jewelry from SFr50-10,000, mostly in the SFr200-300 range. A beautiful collection, open during the holidays. Tel: (022) 312 0084.
20 Dec -
Last minute shopping for gifts from all over the world without leaving the centre of Nyon
As Christmas day approaches, if you have run out of ideas for gifts and can't think further than chocolates or perfume, maybe you will find a bit of last-minute inspiration in presents from around the world, all available on Nyon’s doorstep.
"Catambo" in 3 Rue Perdtemps, Nyon, has a colourful range of products, many of them from Africa but other countries, too. A huge selection of beautiful stoneware, at a variety of prices.
Tea sets from Asia. Bags from Thailand and a varied collection of incense are only a small part of what is on offer in this large shop on two levels. Along with cards, calendars and brightly coloured children’s items there is a selection of music from around the world.
Alternatively you could walk just a few streets to the "Magasin du Monde" shop, opposite the post office. They have a selection of percussion instruments. The drums at SFr44 are beautiful to look at even if you never play them. Woven bags from Palestine and mini nativity scenes from South America and beautiful scarfs and jewellry could be the answer to your gift buying at this late stage.
Community shopping list
Note: the images in thumbnail size here can be viewed large in the photo gallery, or just click on them.
Price range
SFr0-15
- from overthemoon, new shop in Lausanne called Bead Box, rue Haldimand, has a vast assortment of beads for all kinds of homemade gifts
- from Hester Maconald of WRG's "Dig it!" garden show, Pic a pomme, spike for apple to feed birds. At Nature et Découvertes, Thoiry shopping centre (also online, but delivers in France only), also at Botanic, €7.50.
- from Hester Macdonald, lovely ceramic labels for gardeners, Nature et Découverte, Thoiry shopping centre, five couleurs for €6.50.
- from Hester Macdonald, garden gloves for children, Nature et Découverte, Thoiry shopping centre as well as Botanic and Jardiland in France, €6.95.
- from Overthemoon, "designer teas," Kalk Bay foods, S Africa, little balls or bullets of dried tea leaves. You put them in a tall glass or glass teapot, fill with almost boiling water and they open out - inside each one is a flower, orange, white or yellow. Globus, Lausanne, box, all the same or a mixture SFr13.80
-
Mini-bears, Schilliger, Gland
Mini-bears in red checkered suits, Schilliger, Gland. They come in several sizes, start at SFr6.50 and go up to SFr19.50.
- Wonderfully delicate scent, peche a la vigne blocks of pale peach-coloured (of course) soap, Schilliger, Gland, SFr4.50.
- Starting price for several excellent teas, Darjeeling and Chinese green, Le T, Gland, Sfr8.50.
- Tree-ornaments: hand-blown glass balls and tree-toppers made while you watch, with personalized trim, Schilliger, Gland. SFr8 for 6cm, up to SFr24.
SFr16-50
- (from overthemoon) Favourite treasure trove little shops, north end of the lake: for children's gifts and toys - Vivishop, Rue Courtat, Lausanne, everything is set out by age and you get excellent advice, and Anderson's toy shop in rue Pichard, which has the advantage of being owned by a Brit. It is much bigger than it looks from outside, but has a lot of steps up and down and is not easily negotiable by pushchair (stroller). Nice decorative objects, rings and necklaces made from buttons, toys, all a bit different as they come from France, at La Bricotine, boulevard de Grancy, Lausanne. L'Aubaine antiquités, rue du Simplon 45-47 in Lausanne for antiques.
- (from the editor) Touring Geneva Wine Country: The Only Guide to Geneva’s Countryside, places to stay, where to eat, cultural activities, farmers markets, outings with kids, and more in the updated edition. Book by Gail Mangold-Vine, available at FNAC, Payot and other bookstores, SFr19.
- (from Overthemoon) grat'ail, small round earthenware garlic grater from Provence, "couldn't live without mine," sold at chalet no 92, quai de Noël, Montreux, SFr16.
-
Cyclamens flowering plants, Schilliger, Gland
Cyclamen flowering plants, several shades, beautiful flowers. These are annuals and will continue to bloom for several weeks if kept in a light, slightly cool area, or for some weeks if kept in a warmer spot. Schilliger, Gland, SFr16.50.
Set of 4 teas, Le T, Gland
Four little high-quality fresh teas, one especially for Christmas, in pretty tins, Le T, Gland, Sfr18.50.
SFr51-150
- NEW! 20/12 (from Henry Muller) Globus in Lausanne. (The one in Geneva is presumably equally good.) Whether it’s coffees or chocolates or pastas or cooking gadgets, they have something for everyone but the most extreme foodophobe. Our favorite this year: the giant pepper mills (filled with an exotic selection) from Kalk Bay Foods in South Africa.
- (from Glenn O'Neil) For the gourmet in your life, with the l’assiette Genevoise card, you pay SFr80 and can eat in some 70 restaurants for half price during a year.
- Dr. Seuss birdhouses, tall and not quite straight, bright and cheerful, Schilliger, Gland. To hang or set on ground (more expensive models on poles), SFr79.
SFr151-sky's the limit
- from Hester Macdonald, WRG's "Dig it!" garden expert, English Gardening School based next door to London's famous Chelsea show ground, where the flower show is held. Many one-day garden courses such as Gardening in Containers (27 February 2007) or Summer Flowers from Seeds (28 February); Easyjet to Gatwick and back is possible on the same day. Course registration: £125, includes lunch.
- (from she-won't-say-who) Favorite wine at a tasting session this weekend with Bacchus Wines, who import from a magical little Piedmont vineyard: Grignolino del Monferrato Casalese Cré Marcaleone 2004, SFr20 a bottle, minimum of 12 shipped (price includes shipping).
- (from Glenn O'Neil) For men looking for presents for partners/wives, you can’t go wrong with a gift certificate from one of the spas downtown: try After the Rain or Spatio. Most gift certificates start from CHF 200 upwards
- Looking for something for a sports-loving person? Try one of the sports shops in the region: Sport137 in Versoix or SB Sport in Gland both have great selections of winter sports equipment. Recommended is the "snowskate" that is like a skateboard for snow, retails from CHF 150 upwards – fun for kids and adults!
-
Glass teardrops chandelier, Schilliger, Gland
Glass teardrop chandelier, Schilliger, Gland, SFr1,490.
Online shopping with a Swiss connection, all prices (see sites for shipping information):
Online shopping, other all prices (see sites for shipping information):
- (from the editor), Lonely Planet holiday theme pack books, a great selection - my pick would be California + San Francisco city map + California World Food Guide, but Estonia and Morocco also have appeal and you can choose from three currencies with shipping around the world; California set, including shipping, £30.
- (from editor Barbara) for English-speaking "literary people," a year's subscription to Slightly Foxed, a fabulous magazine, nice to receive as a gift, £32-42 depending on UK, US or European address.
GenevaLunch winter sports guide: Sports (2)
Lake Geneva region, winter sports guide - Sports (2)
This is the second in a series of guides to winter sports in the region. See the first guide for general information about sports in Switzerland in the winter.
If you're looking for chat about resorts, or you're interested in rides, or you want to join others on the slopes, check out the forums on GenevaOnline.
Ice skating
Not everyone can aspire to be Stephane Lambiel, the 2006 Olympic silver medallist and two-time world champion figure skater who lives in Lausanne, but there are plenty of opportunities to go freestyle at the many rinks in the area.
A medieval scene of ice skating, painted by Esaias van de Velde.
There are several indoor and outdoor rinks to choose from in Geneva, some of which are open until mid- or end of March. You can download lists of indoor and outdoor rinks from Lake Geneva Region tourism.
Some rinks run courses, some rent out skates but others don't. Call to check first. Entry fees are usually somewhere between SFr3 and SFr8 per person. Opening times vary and, for outdoor rinks, can also depend on the weather. There is usually at least a snack bar, and some rinks have restaurants - but what's on offer varies considerably. Skate rental also varies, but can be around SFr5. Some rinks have the option to play ice hockey.
Ice skating (indoor)
Ice skating (outdoor)
Most towns in the mountains have a rink, so check with the local tourism office. Close to Lake Geneva you will find some outdoor rinks:
Too cold, tired or short of time to get your skates on? There's always Wikipedia's comprehensive history of ice skating to keep you entertained.
Check out these skating sites:
* Skating links from the Google directory
* The Swiss skating website
* All about skating
Sledging and toboggan runs
Special fun:(/b>
Snowparks and funparks
Snowshoeing
Snowshoe trekking (racquettes in French) is suitable for a family outing and is growing in popularity. Trails are graded and the easy routes don't require any particular training. Most resorts have marked trails and organized excursions.
Stick to marked paths and always check conditions locally before you leave in case there is danger of an avalanche.
Almost anyone can snowshoe so give it a try.
Swiss Tourism lists more than 250 marked snowshoe trails in 70 winter sports resorts throughout the country. There are lots of seasonal offers and a downloadable brochure showing all the trails.
Here are the writer's picks - but please send us your favourites!
Crans Montana (Valais) Take a nightime snowshoe trek to the Colombire Alpine Museum which focuses on alpine life in the 1930s (every Wednesday night). The excursion includes a local aperitif, a sled ride down again and dinner in Aminona.
St Bernard (Valais)
The area boasts not only the famous dog but also of having the biggest showshoe network in Switzerland. You can trek up to the Cornet rock, which offers a magnificent view of the Great St Bernard Pass, crossing the Alps from Martigny to Aosta in Italy.
Les Diablerets
has five marked snowshoe trails, ranging from about an hour's walking time to almost four. On March 17 and 18 Les Diablerets is staging a snowshoe-and-family-fondue day (cost Sfr20). On the Saturday from 5pm to 9pm there will be a snowshoe walk on five to ten km. of marked trails, with mulled wine and hot tea offered en route. Afterwards, there will be a fondue (included in the price). On the Sunday from 10am to 4pm there will be a snowshoe promenade for all for Sfr5 per person. Information and booking, tel: 024 492 3358. Children under nine go free.
Zermatt also offers five snowshoe trails, which you can walk on your own or in a guided group.
The Lake Geneva Region search engine is a great way to find snowshoe tours in the region. Search results include a rating (easy, medium, difficult), a locator map, GPS coordinates, directions, the duration, length, season (eg, November to March), places to eat and drink, difference in elevation and highest point. There are also links to further information.
Check out the Swiss Snowshoe Federation (in French, German and Italian)
What to wear
You can wear any kind of winter gear, such as padded trousers and jackets. Dress in layers, depending on how cold it is. Unlike in skiing, you don't wear special boots but normal mountaineering boots. Take gloves and a hat.
Equipment
All you need are snowshoes and poles. The snowshoes are actually large pieces of plastic that look rather like duck's feet. They were originally worn by foresters, hunters, trappers and woodcutters, made of woven twigs or softened wood.
Now, they are lightweight plastic. You strap them over your boots, take your poles and set off! Regardless of the depth of the snow, the snowshoes allow you to tread lightly and safely.
You can rent both snowshoes and poles at many sports shops. The price varies, but expect to pay around Sfr19 for one day, to Sfr80 for six days, or Sfr260 for the entire season. In some cases you can book online.
How to do it
You don't need lessons and the basic technique doesn't take long to seem natural. If you look back and your tracks resemble a zipper, you're on a roll. But be careful about looking behind you ... trees, animals and even out-of-control snowshoers have been known to pose a sudden hazard.
Thermal baths, salt water baths and outdoor swimming
- Crans-Montana: the town's thermal waters are not exploited but one great option is the 33 degree C salt water baths complex with massage jets and more at the Hotel Valaisia. 2 hours from Geneva by car.
- Loeche-les-bains/Leukebad: some of the most famous Swiss thermal baths, with 10 pools in the public baths alone (the warm and cold foot bath is a shocker) and there are several private baths, mainly in hotels. If you're feeling like a splurge and don't mind a bit of nudity (aaaah, those mud baths are worth it!), the Roman-Irish baths at the Lindner are great for unwinding. Children under 9 free in most baths and prices in the public baths start at SFr11.
30 minutes past the end of the A9 autoroute in Sierre. 2.5 hours from Geneva by car.
- Ovronnaz, between Martigny and Sion, easy to reach from the autoroute, with three baths and a family atmosphere. Prices start at SFr10 for children, 18 for adults, with family rates.
- Saas Fee: not thermal baths, but a public indoor pool 25 metre with jacuzzi and more and this is one of the places where you can find snow. If you're not up for it this weekend, try the swimming/full moon/champagne combo 2 February. 2.5+ hours from Geneva by car.
- Saillon: at Saxon, near Martigny, very close to autoroute 1h30 from Geneva by car. Slightly more medically oriented and smaller than some of the others, but easy to reach, pleasant baths. Prices from SFr12 for children, 18 for adults.
Yverdon-les-Bains (Fre) is not in the mountains, but its warm waters and nearness to Lausanne - 30 minutes on the autoroute - have long made it a winter favourite with Lake Geneva region residents.
GenevaLunch.com places to visit
Guides to a range of places to get to in a day, in the Lake Geneva region.
Gardens to visit
There are dozens of public and private gardens in the Lake Geneva region, some of which are good for family outings as well as for plant-lovers. Here is a selection of the best. For addresses you would like to add, please post a comment and include your impressions. If GL agrees with you we will add it to this guide, with information on fees and hours.
shasta daisy
Alpine Garden, Meyrin. Some 3,600 plants, rose garden and alpine garden, with villa, walks, play area, ducks, goats and more, making it an easy family visit. Address is 7, chemin du jardin alpin, Meyrin. May 2006 description on the American Women’s International Club of Geneva site. No entry fee.
The national Arboretum in Aubonne, the only arboretum in Switzerland with native as well as plants from around the world that have adapted to the climate. Four walks to view plants, from 1-1/2 to 5 hours, take you through meadows and forests on the hillside above the lake. Centre’s own site, in French.
Botanical Gardens in Geneva: 28 hectares, moved from the city centre to here in 1904, includes rock garden, herbarium (by appointment) with 5.5 million specimens, making it one of the five largest collections in the world. Gardens own site, in French. Site has directions; 8:00-19:30 in spring and summer, no entry fee; shop.
Le Jardin des Cinq Sens, Yvoire, France. Former vegetable gardens recreated as a Middle Ages formal garden complete with labyrinthe and designed to appeal to all the senses. Classified officially in France as a “jardin remarquable.” Summer, open daily 10:00-19:00; entry fees from €5.50-9; family rates.
iris
Le Jardin d'Iris, Chateau de Vullierens iris gardens, near Morges. Spectacular collection of irises, open daily, 9:00-18:00, to June 18. One of the best collections of day lilies in Europe, displayed from mid-June to mid-August, Monday-Saturday, 14:00-18:00. Numerous trees older than 200 years. Entry fee, online plant catalogue but no shop.
dahlias
Quais des dahlias, Morges, from July to mid-October, more than 100 varieties of dahlias, 1,800 plants, along the 1.5 km of waterfront in Morges. Free small train if you don't want to walk.
GenevaLunch.com user guides
Blogging Basics
What's a blog?
Blogs, or weblogs, are all over the media nowadays, but what are they exactly? Basically, a blog is a web site that is easy to update with entries usually arranged in chronological order. Blogs are a great way to express your opinions and views and to share news and information with the world.
If you're interested in a much more indepth definition of "blog", we recommend the Wikipedia article on blogs.
How does a blog on GenevaLunch work?
Once you have been approved as a community reporter on GenevaLunch, you will get your very own blog. All you have to do then is to log in. Once logged in, you will see a link on the left sidebar to your blog. You can start writing in your blog immediately!
How to write a new blog entry
On the blog entry page, you will see a "title" field. Fill in an appropriate title for the entry there.
Next, you will see a "location" pulldown menu. If your entry is about a particular area, select one from here; otherwise you can leave this at "none".
Next you can select one or more "topics" for the entry. To select more than one, hold down the CTRL key (CMD key for Mac) while clicking the categories.
Finally there is the "body" field, which is where you put the text of your entry.
Hint: write (and spellcheck) your blog entry in a text editor first!
We don't recommend writing in MS Word and cut-pasting from there, but you can do this if you're in a big hurry.
We've found that it's much more comfortable to write a blog entry in a text editing program first and to proofread and spellcheck it there before copy-pasting the entire text into the "body text" field. On Windows, Notepad and Wordpad are both text editors that come free with the system. We also like the free (and made in Switzerland!) Notetab Lite. On Mac OS X, the built-in TextEdit program works fine; if you want to splurge a bit (only €39), we love Textmate.
Body text input formats
You can enter the "body", or main entry text on GL in two ways. The easiest, which works for simple text-only entries, is "filtered HTML". Just separate your paragraphs with two carriage returns, which leaves a blank line between each paragraph. The system will automatically convert them into paragraphs. You can also use the allowed HTML tags listed if you are comfortable with this. Please read the help page for details.
A second format supported on GL is an easy-to-learn syntax called "markdown". This is what we use ourselves to write for GL. It only takes a couple of hours to master, and is great for writing any kind of web content. See the official Markdown documentation for more.
How to create a manual break in your post
Each posted entry is in two sections: the teaser, and the rest of the entry. The teaser is what is seen on the front page and on any page that lists more than one article.
By default, all GL blog posts and articles have a break point after 600 words, and everything before the break point becomes the teaser. However, that occasionally creates an awkward break. To avoid this problem, you can add the following code on its own line at any point where you think the break point will go:
<!––break––>
How to add an image to your entry with flickr™
If you have a flickr™ account, the easiest way to add an image to your blog entry is to simply use the "blog this" feature. You will need to set up your GL blog first by going to the flickr blog setup page.
- Step 1: Click Add a Blog. You will be asked what kind of blog you have. Select Select "MetaWeblogAPIenabled." from the pulldown menu as shown here, and click the Next button.
- Step 2: Enter your login details. The APIendpoint is http://www.genevalunch.com/xmlrpc.php. The user name and password are the ones you use for GenevaLunch, not your flickr username/pass. Once everything is filled out, click Next.
- Step 3: Confirm your details on the next screen. (Your blog URL should look like http://www.genevalunch.com/blog/[a number].) It's convenient to have flickr store your user/pass here. You may want to specify a label for the blog that you can easily identify, especially if you have blogs other than your GL one. Then, click All Done.
- Step 4: You're almost done. It's best to specify a custom template here, so that your blog entries will look good on the GL pages. Click on the "create a custom posting template" link.
- Step 5: Click on the "Mid size, on its own line" link.
That's it! If you are familiar with CSS and HTML, you can tweak the CSS a bit; otherwise, just leave the default settings.
How to add an image by directly uploading to GL
If you don't have a flickr™ account, or you'd just rather upload an image directly to the GL site, here's how:
- Click the small photo icon located at the lower left corner of the "Body" field.
- An "image upload" popup window will appear. Click on "add image" in the upper left corner:
- Follow the instructions on the next screen to upload the image. Please note that the maximum size for uploaded images is 640x640 pixels.
- Once you have uploaded an image, you can select it from the list of "your images". (You can also choose any image that is on the GL site by listing "all images"). Click on an image from the list, then choose either the "thumbnail" view or "other" and specify a width of up to 500 pixels. Edit the caption as you want.
Then, click the "Insert Image" button, and the image will be inserted into the Body textbox.
Preview, then Submit
Once you've written or pasted in your text, click the Preview button to proofread it one more time, then click Submit. Note: it is not saved until you submit it, so do not use the backspace key and do not move to other pages until you have submitted it. Please note that blogs are published when you submit them, and you should keep corrections after publishing to a minimum, to avoid causing problems for people who subscribe to the site.
How to edit an already published blog entry
You clicked "submit", and upon reading your entry again you notice a typo. What do you do? Click on the entry title to get to the entry page, and you will see an "edit" tab. Click on this and correct what needs correcting in the body text. Then click "submit." You can also delete entries from the "edit" screen.
How to see a list of your past entries
From your user page (which you can reach by clicking on your name on the left sidebar under "Wclcome Back"), click on the "track" tab to see the list of your past entries. Your user page can be accessed by clicking on your name on the left sidebar.
How to list and edit content created by you
To list content that you created yourself, go to your User page (click on your name under "Welcome back" on the left sidebar) and click on "View latest posts".
You can then click on the Edit link for each to edit or delete each item.
Keeping Current with GenevaLunch using Web (News) Feeds
A web feed or a news feed is a document that represents recent changes on a web site. The most common web feed formats are RSS and Atom. (Wikipedia entry for web feeds.)
By using programs called news readers, you can keep updated about changes on a web site. There are web-based news readers and standalone news reader programs. If you prefer, you can also read web feeds by incorporating them on customizable “home pages” such as My Yahoo! and the Google Home Page.
Recommended offline news readers
Recommended web-based news readers
GenevaLunch News Feeds
GenevaLunch provides several feeds that you can use to keep track of the site, which are listed in the right sidebar of this page. Copy the appropriate link (CTRL-C on Windows, Command-C on Macs) and paste into your news reader.
You can also subscribe to individual blog feeds, single-category or region feeds, and so on. Any time you see this icon, right-click on it to get the feed link.
How to bake the perfect American apple pie in Switzerland
This pie was made for my mother, even though she is in the US and can't enjoy it with us. We served it on the American fostoria glass dinnerware she received 70 years ago, 26 October 1936, as a wedding present. Her mother was an admirable pie baker in Iowa.
After 25 years living in Europe, 20 of them in Switzerland, I've nudged and tweaked my beloved old Iowa apple pie recipe. Over time your taste buds shift a bit, and recipes need tweaking. In my case I now use about half the sugar called for by most of my American recipes. Here is American Iowa apple pie, with Swiss ingredients and metric measurements. A collection of 31 step-by-step photos is on Flickr. A few are included here.
Note: the key to a successful pie is to enjoy making it, from start to finish.
The starting point was a Joy of Cooking recipe from the 1983 version of the cookbook by Irma Rombauer and Marion Rombauer Becker.
Please note that this recipe may be shared freely: this is the point of joy and I find great joy in baking this pie for family and friends!
Ingredients:
Pie dough
Filling
- 5-6 cups apples and I usually go for more rather than less: variety, Canadas if possible
- 1/2 cup brown sugar or slightly less, US or UK brand, from Jim's supermarket in Geneva
- 1/8 teaspoon of salt, or a pinch
- 1-1/2 tablespoons corn starch, fécule de mais
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, canelle
grated nutmeg, Migros spices, noix de muscade using very fine grater
Prepare the pie crust:
Mix flour and salt well.
Use a fork to blend in slightly softened shortening. I keep it in the refrigerator and take it out 1/2 hour ahead.
Add cold water 1-2 tablespoons at a time, tossing it and the flour mix from underneath.
Note: it is better to have it too dry than too moist.
Set aside and cover with a tea towel to keep it from drying out.
Peel large apples, leaving a bit of the peel on. Cut each into 6-8 pieces, top to bottom. This is chunkier than the fine slices you find in most European apple pies and tarts.
Nutmeg freshly grated has a delightful smell and taste. It's also beautiful.
Add brown sugar and mix well. Add salt, cornstarch, spices. Cover with tea towel to keep apples from turning brown. Set aside.
Cut pie pastry in two and cover one with the tea towel while you roll out the other. Sprinkle the work surface generously with flour and place a ball of dough in the centre. Use a series of quick moves to gently but firmly flatten it with the heel of your hand. Pick it up frequently to make sure work surface has enough flour so it doesn't stick. Once it is about 2cm or 1/2 inch thick, roll out from the centre, lightly and quickly, spinning the dough to make sure it does not stick and keeps a round shape. Place the pie pan over it to make sure the dough extends about an inch, 4cm, beyond the pan.
Place the rolling pin in the middle, lift half the dough over it to carry it to the pie pan. Gently lift in and adjust to fit.
Add filling. Place small slivers of butter (to thicken the sauce) around the top of the fruit. Repeat steps above for the second crust.
Making a fluted edge for the pie crust
Once the second crust is on the fruit, fold it under all around (but not under the rim of the pie pan!) to seal in the fruit. I decorate the crust in several ways but my favourite, shown here, is to hold the thumb of my right hand against the edge and gently make a dent with the forefinger of my left hand. I use a fork to decorate and make small holes in the top of the crust. It's best to make an additional, larger vent in the centre of the pie, which I do with a sharp knife. Bake at 220C for 10 minutes, reduce heat to 190 and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.
Cool on a rack, so air can get under the pan. Best served warm with 35% cream on the side.
How to be a 2006 Lake Geneva region Christmas shopping helper!
Share your ideas for Christmas shopping with the rest of us! We're all in this together: there is bound to be at least one person on the Christmas list whose present we just can't seem to find.
If we like your idea we'll dress it up a bit and put it on the list. Send us your ideas as often as you like, up to 24 December, noon, when we'll be rushing out with our own last-minute lists.
You can do it two ways. The simple method is to add a comment to the "Lake Geneva region Christmas shopping list."
Of course, people might not spot it - and you might not want them to spot your name, if they are on your Christmas list.
The alternative is to send us a message at newsroom@genevalunch.com. Tell us:
- what the item is
- the age range
- the cost
- where you found it
- a web site address if there is one
- and we'll add a map showing people how to find it.
Feel free to add a photo.
We have three special categories for the many English-speakers confronted by these problems every Christmas:
- gifts that are easy to ship abroad
- presents for aging parents who have everything
- Swiss online shopping ideas.
(Please, no advertising your own products here! You'll have to find a friend willing to vouch for them.)
Price ranges
- SFr0-15
- SFr16-50
- SFr51-150
- SFr150 and up
Age ranges
- Pre-school (0-5)
- Primary school (6-13)
- Secondary school (14-18)
- 19-24
- 25-30
- 31-40
- over 40
- not telling
- proud to be over 75
How to leave home: survival guide
Editor's note. We would like this to be a community guide. If you have additions, please send a comment. We'll add the ones we like best, sometime soon.
You are old enough to live on your own. You're young enough to hate asking how to do anything. You've ignored all the instructions your parents gave you over the years (mind was elsewhere at the time?).
Here's your survival guide, in no special order:
Pick up your wadded socks from the floor at least once a week because a) you'll start to notice the smell, b) your guests will find them disguuuusting, c) you'll run out soon.
Toothpaste: a good idea but wipe the mirror after.
Cooking abbreviations to remember: T = tablespoon and t = teaspoon, in American recipe parlance.
Popcorn: cheap, nourishing, filling. Even dieting women can eat it, and it burns the pan BLACK if you don't know what you're doing and you don't have a microwave handy. Here's the stovetop recipe. 2T oil over high heat, lid on pan, 3-4 kernels of popcorn in pan. Don't leave the room. Repeat, don't leave the room. When the kernels pop, pull the pan off the heat, count to 20, add 4T regular (not microwave) popcorn, put lid back on and put burner heat on medium high. Keep shaking as it pops. Salt when finished, not while cooking.
Bed linens (the things on your bed): some people change these twice a week, some people once a week, others once a month. More often and you'll have fewer dust mites. If you sleep in the buff or partly so (see pajamas, below), what a man who runs a cleaning company in Capetown once called skid marks can add stripes to your sheets. Undesirable. Aim for at least once a month to change sheets.
Pajamas: If you think these aren't cool, and you wear t-shirts, you'll smell better if you put on a clean one in the morning.
Laundry: If you want gray clothes just buy them. Otherwise separate coloured clothes from white, and wash colours in cool water. Lots of Internet tips on this, starting with: ehow and housekeeping.
Dust bunnies: the rabbits that live under your bed if you don't have a maid. They aggravate allergies and visiting mothers.
Roommates: the good thing is you can borrow their clothes, music, girlfriends and boyfriends. The bad thing is they can borrow your clothes, music, girlfriends and boyfriends. The key to making this work is to never ever say something you might regret later. Even after all is forgiven you will remember that you said something you shouldn't have. They will remember what you said.
Overnights: take a toothbrush and offer to make the bed.
Being a guest: clean the bathtub after you use it, make the bed you sleep in (pull up the covers, smooth them), offer to help setting the table and doing the dishes. If there is maid service, you're off the hook on all these. Special note to young women: when the host says no, you don't have to help, they really mean it. Do NOT feel guilty.
Cooking: boiling water means it has bubbles in it. For the rest, buy a cookbook or try passionateaboutfood or the reluctantgourmet. These are not really basic enough, so another option is to learn the hard way, take notes and send GenevaLunch your "Guide to boiling water and other kitchen chores." If you don't get past opening packages and cans and heating them, just remember that when in doubt, refrigerate food before you cook it and after, if you have leftovers.
Ice cream: if it melts, don't refreeze it. Tough on the budget but throw it away.
Fish, pork and most other meat: if the refrigerator breaks down, throw them away. Tough on the budget. Food poisoning is worse.
Hygiene:
noses and ears should generally not be picked in the presence of other people, a criminal offense because people don't want to know what you have there, even if they have the same.
Nails should not be bitten, which at least one person has probably told you if you do it, but this is a criminal offense of a lower order.
Air escaping from behind (too many labels for this): a cultural issue, so when in doubt, find a reason to go outside. If you live alone and think this doesn't matter you are wrong: someone is knocking on your door right now and THEY WILL KNOW! A little guilt is good for you.
Banned substances: Depends a bit on who is doing the banning.
Meat: if it is your parents, and you want to eat meat, go ahead. If it is your friends and you want to eat meat, don't let peer pressure take away your pleasure. If it is you and someone is still trying to make you eat meat, make a political speech about your principles or glare at them, or make sympathetic noises, and gently push the meat aside. Nations have fought wars over this.
Cigarettes: this is a tough one, a cultural and political and family bomb. Don't ask if people mind - some do, some don't. Smoke if they are smoking, don't if they aren't. If you really want to and someone is telling you not to, go ahead (I didn't really say that, did I?) but do us a favour and read how to stop smoking. If you don't want to smoke and someone is trying to make you, accidentally burn a hole in their favourite piece of clothing and explain that you're too clumsy to manage cigarettes. Or wear a neck brace saying you hurt your neck while trying to talk on your cell phone and light a cigarette at the same time.
Alcohol: you want to and someone doesn't want you to? Convert to green tea with Chinese ceremonial pot and washing utensils, insist they drink with you. Or leave them at home. You don't want to drink booze and someone insists you do: offer to make the drinks.
Drugs: seriously, you are still reading? There is hope for you! Just say no (not original but not copyrighted).
Here's where to turn when in doubt about everything.
Or call home.
How to make it happily through Swiss customs
Key points for getting through customs in Switzerland without a hassle
This information was provided by customs officer Jean-Claude Bruttin, during GL's Friday interview of June 27, 2006.
- Have identity papers ready to show.
- Declare any merchandise that is subject to tax. Import taxes are generally low, especially for small quantities, but if you are caught not declaring something, you pay the duty plus a fine that is generally two times the VAT on the goods.
- If you have nothing to declare, take the green channel. All customs offices have small booklets with the green octagan and "RIEN A DECLARER" symbol. If you are driving, place this in your front windshield and you have the right to take the green lane.
Chavannes customs check
There have been changes to what you can import tax-free. Under the new rules:
- SFr300 of merchandise per person. Important note: if you have SFr400 of goods, the entire SFr400 is taxed, not just the amount above 300.
- Couples: SFr300 per person is allowed as long as these are separate goods. If, together, you import one object worth SFr500, you must pay tax on the full value of it.
- Children: they are now considered people, with the same SFr300 allowance. If a couple and their baby bring in 9 bottles of wine, this is tax free even though the child will presumably not drink it.
The rule used to be that goods had to be for your own consumption. Today you are allowed to bring in goods as gifts, so you will not be asked if your baby can really chew that meat.
All customs offices have a small booklet, in French, detailing specific restrictions on goods. The main ones are:
- Cash - no restrictions on the amount you can carry, but large amounts can be subject to international crime laws.
- Butter and cream - 1 litre or kilogram; tax after that is SFr16/kg
Milk and other dairy products - 5 litres or kg
- Eggs - 2.5 kg (tax after is SFr3.70)
- Fruits and vegetables - 20 kg per variety
- Apple, pear and raisin juice and related products - 3 litres (tax: SFr.90)
- Meat - this is still protected. Each person has a 500 gram allowance, including children, which makes it possible today to buy a roast in France without asking them to cut it in half. Overshoot your allowance you are subject to SFr20/kg in tax. You can bring in larger quantities of poultry (3.5kg) and other meat such as rabbit and ostrich (20kg) before any additional tax kicks in.
- Cigarettes - one carton
- Alcohol - to 15%, which includes wine, 2 litres (3 bottles) and over 15%, 1 litre.
One of the oddest on the list of protected food products is potatoes: spuds themselves and all derivative products (frozen french fries, for example) have an import limit of 2.5kg and after that you pay SFr7.50/kg. Swiss fries are definitely a better deal, at that price.
Customs offices provide booklets on exporting and importing pets, plants, cars, arms and munitions as well as sending and receiving by post.
Lake Geneva region guide to winter sports: Sports (1)
Winter sports guide for the Lake Geneva Region: where to go and what to do
For snowball throwers, accomplished skiers and everyone in between there are a large variety of fun-in-the-snow activities in the Lake Geneva region.
Skiing at St Cergue
The GenevaLunch winter sports guide has three parts, the first two organized by sport. We'll be building these guides during January, so keep checking for updates. The third, which is scheduled to appear at the end of January, is organized by resort. The guides are in alphabetical order. We want to make these easy for you to use, whether you are hunting for places to cross country ski or you plan to take visiting Cousin Heloise out for a day of extreme snowboarding in Verbier and wonder what you can find for Grandmother to do.
During the winter we will regularly update the guide with what’s on offer in this region, further afield in Switzerland, and also in France. And please send us your additions to the guide, to editor@genevalunch.com: GL is a community service site and you are part of the community!
Know-it-all Passport (whose author contributes regularly to GL) has 10 excellent pages on winter activities, including useful information on ski camps for kids.
General information and tips, winter 2007
Icy ground
Insurance
Most resorts in Switzerland now offer Snowcare for SFr4 a day (2006-07) to cover costs related to accidents on the slopes, including obligatory RC (responsabilité civile) insurance for injuring others. Note: this does not include your medical care!
Equipment
The most expensive option is renting equipment for a day - daily rates fall sharply the longer you rent. It's also usually less expensive to rent outside resort areas and the best deals are by the season. GL tip: Soulier Sports in Biere, Vaud, has for some years offered excellent rental prices: 021 809 5483.
Note that most schools and communes have annual sales, usually in November, of used equipment. Check the material for damage, but this can be the best way to make family skiing affordable, especially with fast-growing kids.
Transport
You need winter tires to go higher than 800 or 1,000 metres from November to April, more or less, although they are useful even at lake level during the winter. If you are traveling to resorts, be sure to have chains in your car - and know how to use them! - but you rarely need them lower than 1,000 metres, and only in resorts when the snow is falling heavily. Resorts in Switzerland tend to be better about maintaining access roads and parking lots than French ski resorts. Parking ranges from free (Aminona, VS) to SFr5-10 a day in larger resorts.
Consider trains: CFF has many special offers.
Snowboarding in the Vaud Alps (copyright 2006 Officue du tourism du Canton de Vaud)
Weather and up-to-date snow reports
Meteo Swiss but check individual resorts' snow reports and weather pages, as these tend to be more local and up to the minute. Note that if you google a resort by its name you'll fall first on sites by companies that sell travel and rent equipment - most of these have no direct link to the resort and their information is rarely updated as often as it might appear. Use the links listed in the GL winter sports guide or remember when you google to put in resort name + tourism to reach the official tourism office. Ski lifts are generally managed separately and will have their own web sites; tourism offices link to this. Two sites link to several resort ski lifts, but there is a drawback - not all of the lift companies work with them. The Swiss National Tourism Office runs a Swiss snow report but Verbier does not participate in it and updates only its only pages. The association of ski lifts in the Valais has some good information on Best of Snow but Crans-Montana, for example, does not update its pages there.
Avalanches
Dozens of people die in avalanches every year in Switzerland. The danger should not be minimized, but learning when and why they occur is the best prevention. The Swiss Federal Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research (SLF) in Davos publishes a short, excellent online guide aimed especially at Swiss Alps snowboarders, good background reading. The SLF has daily online avalanche bulletins. Both are in English. The SLF also has the most reliable online information around, with maps, for fresh snowfall amounts, snow height and snowpack stability as well as other details of particular interest to hikers and riders. Much of it is in German only, but the maps are easy to grasp.
Family deals
Children under nine ski free
in many resorts in the area, including Les Diablerets, Château-d'Oex /Rougemont, Gstaad, Les Mosses /La Lécherette, Villars-Gryon, and Leysin.
We can all be kids in the snow. (copyright 2006 Office du tourism du Canton de Vaud)
Lessons and courses
Some years ago the only way to take lessons was to sign up with each resort's official ski school instructors. There were two official groups running these but they merged in 2002 under the name Swiss Snowsport. In 2004 their training programme was accepted by the federal government, which now allows them to award federal certificates to those who pass their tough courses.
The teachers are excellent and every resort has them, but an alternative culture with other schools grew up with snowboarding. The backbone of this excellent winter sports teaching system remains Swiss Snowsport, which brings together 195 schools and 4,300 teachers who have Swiss federal certificates. They give 6 million hours of snow sports lessons a year - this is big business on the slopes.
If you're looking for lessons, your best first stop is the official school but if you're tempted by one of the others, ask around in the resort for recommendations and check on the teacher's certification. Some of these schools offer a good range of activities such as snow-tubing and snow paragliding, worth checking out.
Freestyle snowboarding and skiing used to be something you simply went onto the mountain and did but courses are increasingly being offered. Close to Lausanne, Rochers-de-Naye and Les Pleiades have set up schools for these.
Rates: generally around SFr60 (€40) an hour for private lessons, dropping to SFr55 for three hours in group lessons, but there is some variation between resorts.
Try it, you'll like it!
If you don’t want to ski, try something different. How about about velogemel snow bikes? Or skibocks (a one-legged milking stool fixed to a ski)? You could also try night-time skiing, dog-sledding, snowshoe hiking and Nordic Walking in the snow. Be adventurous!
Toboggans come in all shapes and sizes. (copyright 2006 Office du tourism du Canton de Vaud)
SPORTS (to locate resorts and towns, GL suggests you use local.ch or map.search.ch, both of which work well in English.
Curling, with number of halls
Cross-country skiing
Site to check out: Dog sledding with the Musher Club Suisse
Downhill skiing and snowboarding
- Aminona Part of the larger Crans-Montana-Aminona region - this is where the snowpark is located. Good 6km toboggan run. Gentle skiing, less crowded than Crans and Montana. Has free parking.
- Anzeres Comfortable family resort with somewhat limited skiing.
- Les Avants One of Switzerland's first ski resorts. It suffers often from lack of snow but is very convenient, just above Montreux, with lake views.
- Château d’Oex Part of the Gstaad snowpass area. Famous for its February balloon festival
- Crans-Montana Extensive skiing on mainly intermediate runs. Tends to be very sunny. Snow not always reliable, but if you can't ski anywhere else you should be able to take the runs from the glacier area. Famous for its golf course and there is plenty to do in this relatively large resort.
- Les Diablerets Part of the Gstaad region ski pass - its 14km long piste makes it the longest descent in the Gstaad region
- La Dôle is the peak and the region; Les Rousses, France is the main ski town but the area includes Col de la Faucille, La Cure and St. Cergue. The Jura is better known for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing but it's close to Geneva and a good place to take children for the afternoon when there is enough snow. Not always open in bad snow years - check first: 022 360 1314.
- Gstaad Famous as a playground for the rich and famous, but it also has good skiing despite the somewhat low altitude and it is well supplied with snow cannons and apres-ski life (which can be very expensive).
- Col des Mosses Includes La Lécherette, limited skiing.
- Leysin - Popular with snowboarders. Offers an avalanche search training programme, open to the public.
- Les Pléiades/ Conveniently near Vevey, but check if there is enough snow.
- Rochers de Naye, At 2,000 metres, higher than some similar slopes in the Vevey-Montreux area, but subject to lack of snow. Check first: 021 989 8353.
- Rougemont Part of the Gstaad ski pass area, with lifts that hook up directly to Gstaad's.
- Saas Fee Excellent skiing that is good right to the end of the season. Beautiful old village, smaller and with more charm, if fewer shops, than neighbouring Zermatt.
- St. Cergue, convenient from Geneva and Nyon. Limited skiing and check first for snow, but good for family day trips.
- St. Croix/Les Rasses Near Yverdon, so the thermal baths are always an option when there is not enough snow. Low altitude and limited skiing.
- St. Luc-Chandolin Long, winding road to reach the resort (not for those prone to car sickness) but the views from these small villages perched high over the south side of the Rhone are beautiful and skiing can be very good, with 75km of slopes, the largest ski area in the Val d'Anniviers.
- Verbier/Quatre vallées Certainly the most popular resort with good skiers who are English-speaking, with excellent skiing that is good until the season ends. The autoroute-like maze of slopes is not for the feeble-hearted and the town is lively.
- Vercorin Pleasant family-oriented small resort above Sierre, high enough and on the south side of the Rhone (start of the Val d'Anniviers) to keep snow longer than some resorts. Popular paragliding takeoff point.
- Villars-Gryon One of the closest resorts to Lake Geneva towns, pleasant skiing area, home to a number of boarding schools. Relatively low altitude can mean some runs are closed during periods of little snow.
- Zermatt One of the world's best-known landmarks is Zermatt's Matterhorn mountain, but some of Europe's best ski slopes are on the peaks around the Matterhorn. Even in summer, tanned skiers coming down from the glaciers are a common sight. Large town with plenty of entertainment and shopping as well as excellent food.
Zinal Traditionally a family resort at the end of the Val d'Anniviers, the resort has been adding features, such as a 100 ha snowpark, that give it wider appeal. Good skiing and the snow tends to stay longer. Charming small town, but add an hour from Sierre to reach it via narrow, winding roads.
Vallee de Joux lake (copyright 2006 Office du Tourisme du Canton de Vaud)
Sites to check out
Frequently updated:
Other useful sites:
For information on French ski stations Rhone Alpes Tourism
The Portes du Soleil region including Morzine, Les Gets and Avoriaz
See what people are saying in the Switzerland Travel Community
Swiss Tourism
Swiss Tourism’s database of events
The history of winter sports in Switzerland from swissworld.org
The GenevaLunch winter sports guide was prepared by Liz Wilson with Ellen Wallace. Liz is a regular contributor to GL, who is based in Lausanne. She is a consultant working in English-language communications. Ellen is the editor of GenevaLunch.
Swiss wines, an introductory guide
Part one: Swiss wines in general
Editor's note Visit Vinéa 2-3 September in Sierre for an easy tasting introduction to Swiss wines. Their official site offers good advance information. Entry is SFr30, for which you are given a tasting glass. Train service is good and parking is available.
Swiss wines owe much to the Romans, from names to grape varieties and the expertise that turned fruit into something even more exquisite. After the fall of the Roman Empire, many vineyards were destroyed but monasteries revived them in the Middle Ages. The Swiss rather than the Italians appear to have built the bridges that ensured Italian wine could be brought safely over the border.
Wine, like so much that is Swiss, has undergone centuries of influence by larger, wealthier neighbors France, Germany, Savoy then Italy - and yet it has fiercely retained its Swiss personality.
Switzerland's mini-climates create several excellent pockets for growing grapes. Latitude is right, with most vines grown between the 45th and 47th parallel. Gradients are a curious part of growing grapes in Switzerland: they change the sunlight exposure, a key element in producing good vines. Some grapes are grown on slopes with an 85% gradient. The steep vineyards of Lake Geneva's Swiss Riviera, around Montreux, and the wine-growing valleys in the Valais, are among the most scenic vineyards in the world.
The country's greatest constraint for wine is, however, altitude, since grapes usually do not grow well over 600m. The foehn, a wind that blows through the Alps, warms many of its valleys. The lakes also help keep temperatures moderate enough for vines. These two factors and rocky terracing that holds the day's sunlight for a few hours at night make it possible to grow slightly higher. In Visperterminen, Valais, they are pushed to their highest limit in Europe, growing at 1,100m.
Wine-growing areas
Every Swiss canton grows grapes for wine. Valais is the largest wine region, with 5,200 ha, followed by Vaud, 3,700 and Geneva, 1,500. Ticino, the Italian-speaking canton, has 1,200 ha and the German-speaking cantons in eastern Switzerland have a total of just over 2,300, with most (500 ha) of it in Schaffhausen.
Labels and appellations
Wines from Switzerland are generally labelled with their town of origin, grape variety and if they are a "protected" wine, their AOC (Appellation d'origine contrôlée). Switzerland has 658 appellations, or denominations, in 11 cantons. Vaud has the highest number, 173, followed by Valais, with 124. Geneva has 60.
Grape varieties
The main varieties are listed here, but there are also several interesting ones grown on a small scale, such as Syrah in the Valais, and crosses, or hybrids. Switzerland has a long tradition of blending wines, so that one of the best-known red wines from Valais, Dole, can be either 100% Pinot Noir or a blend with Gamay and Pinot Noir making up 80%, although the Pinot Noir must dominate.
White: Chasselas, Sylvaner, Riesling, RieslingxSylvaner (aka Mueller-Thurgau), Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, Gewürtzraminer, Räuschling.
Chasselas is the grape widely grown in Geneva, Vaud and Valais, known as Fendant in the Valais. Several wines experts, among them Britain's Jancis Robinson, consider that the grape achieves its finest in Switzerland. That said, over-planting for years led to a glut of mediocre-quality wines and you still read erroneous reports today that these are not interesting wines.
Red: Pinot Noir, Gamay, Merlot, Bondola, Humagne Rouge, Cornalin
Prices
Swiss wines of good quality are generally sold in Switzerland within a range of SFr10-30 per bottle. Specialty wines and those produced in small quantity often command a higher price. Switzerland long had a reputation for pricey wines, but in the market in 2006 they compete well pricewise with comparable quality wines from Italy, Spain, France and Germany and are often less expensive than a good-quality American wine.
Coming soon! Wines from Valais, Vaud, Geneva and other cantons.
